Of Drawings and Cereal
by Harry Potterfan girl22
Summary: Jude chose the wrong moment to be in the alley at night. What happens when a vengeful Max finds him all banged up? Rated T for language and some violence.


Well, this is my first slash story. I recently became obsessed with Across The Universe, and especially the couple Max/Jude! Whether its friendship or love (I usually prefer love) I love to read fanfics about them! =D

Before I start, I would like to point out a few things. First note: Weird title, I know. But I promise it will make more sense later.  
>Second thing: It was SO HARD to keep them in character. I think I did a better job on Max then Jude. So, can you let me know if I kept them in character or not?<br>And lastly: Dunno if I should add any of the other characters in the later chapters. I might not be good at thme. But if you like this chapter and want me to use the other characters in the other chapters, tell me!

Now, onto the first chapter! Thinking about making it a multi-chapter (three-shot) but that depends on what you think of it!

**Disclaimer:** I will sadly never own Across The Universe, The Beatles, and most unfortunately, Joe Anderson. *holds back tears*

P.S. at the _Hey Jude _part, I did skip a couple verses because they had the word 'girl' or 'her' in them.

* * *

><p>Jude massaged his temples and tried his hardest not to flip the desk over. He had been in the same position for hours, trying to complete the picture. <em>Why is it so bloody hard to get them right?<em>

Everything else about the drawing was great. The jaw line, ears and nose were a piece of cake, the shaggy blonde hair was a little more challenging but he managed to get it after a try or two, and the lips were to a T, but no matter how many times he tried, he couldn't get the dazzling blue eyes just right.

Running a hand through his brown hair, Jude groaned in frustration and wadded the drawing into a ball for the tenth time that day. He tossed it into the trash can and rested his chin in his hand, sighing. _At this rate I'll never get it done, _he thought miserably.

Jude heard the door open and a voice called in a sing-song tune, "Judey, Judey, Judey?"

"In here." Jude called back.

The blonde American walked into the room, grinning and holding a beer. "How's the little artist today?"

Jude only groaned.

"That bad, eh?" Max asked.

"You have _no_ idea." Jude answered.

Max laughed and pulled up a chair next to the Brit. "What was it this time?"

"Uh…" Jude stammered, not sure how to answer the question.

"Another strawberry? Because as good as it was, it was really kind of messy, man."

Jude chuckled. "No, it wasn't a strawberry. It's…something different."

"Can I see it?"

"No."

Max put a hand over his heart dramatically. "Am I not worthy to observe it in your presence?"

"Exactly. Now, go get your royal highness an ice cold beer." Jude demanded playfully.

Max stood up and bowed gracefully. "As you wish, your majesty."

Jude laughed and watched his silly friend leave the room. He loved his energetic yet sarcastic attitude. Most of the time it annoyed the shite out of him, but on days like this when Jude needed a pick-me-up, Max's immature and obnoxious personality was all he really needed.

A moment later Max returned with a beer and a box of Cap'n Crunch.

"Heads up," Max said tossing the beer.

Jude caught it and wrinkled his nose at Max. "How can you eat Cap'n Crunch and drink beer together?"

"Easy," Max replied stretching out on the sofa. He popped his beer open and took a sip before shoveling a handful of cereal in his mouth.

"Disgusting."

Max chuckled, "Suck it, man."

"So how was work?" Jude asked.

Max moaned. "Don't even remind me!"

"What happened?"

Max sat up angrily. "This cranky old man _clearly _tells me Cafe Huh, right? So I drive him there and then he tells me in this crotchety old voice, 'Where the hell are we? I said the library!' and I was ready to knock out his false teeth!"

Jude couldn't help but grin. "Yeah?"

"So I drove him to the library and I was expecting to get paid double." Max ranted on. "But, no! He pays me for the one trip!"

"It sounds pretty rough." Jude said fairly.

"Man, I am _sick _of driving these stuck up New Yorkers around! They have legs, why don't they use them?"

"Calm down, mate." Jude said clapping his angry friend on the shoulder.

Max sighed. "Shit, you're right. I gotta relax. Just drink my beer and eat my Cap'n Crunch."

Jude smiled. "That's the ticket. Now, I have to use the loo."

Max continued to munch on his cereal while Jude was gone. _This is the best damn cereal ever invented._

Looking around the room, his baby blue eyes landed on the trash can over flowing with crumpled up sheets of paper. Max's eyes darted to the bathroom for a second and then he set his cereal down and walked over to Jude's desk. He stared at the eraser shavings and the thrown-out paper. What was Jude working so hard on? Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Max picked up the wadded ball of paper on the very top of the huge pile. Unfolding one corner after another, he could start to make out the figure. There was what looked like a jaw with a hint of a smile on the thin lips. Unfolding another corner, he noticed a nose that looked remarkably like his own…he only started to unfold the next corner when the paper was snatched out of his hand.

"No!" Jude said, standing before him holding the drawing.

"Aw, come on, man! If its crap anyway, why does it matter if I see it?" Max protested.

"I don't want you seeing it!" Jude said desperately, and Max was surprised to see a cute rosy blush creep on Jude's face.

"Alright man, Jesus. I didn't know it was that big of a deal…sorry."

Jude's face relaxed but he picked up the trash can.

"Seriously, man? You're going to guard your _trash _from me?" Max asked laughing.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I am." Jude said smiling and left the apartment to empty it.

* * *

><p>It was a very cold night. Jude blew on his hands in order to keep warm. He threw the dumpster lid open and gagged at the smell; old banana peels and other rotten foods. After dumping the many drawings of his blonde friend into it, he stuffed his left hand into his pocket and picked up the waste basket in the other and turned to leave.<p>

"Hey you!" A voice behind him suddenly yelled.

Jude turned around and saw three men in black walking towards him. Their eyes were bloodshot and he could tell they were wasted.

"Can I help you with something?" Jude asked cautiously.

"Jesus, where the hell are _you _from?" A black-haired man asked in a slurred voice.

"Are you referring to my accent?" Jude asked raising an eyebrow. "I'm from Liverpool."

"Mmmm, got any money?"

"Uh, 'fraid I don't, mate." Jude said apologetically.

"You're lying." The man said grabbing his arm.

Jude yanked his arm away and eyed him with a hint of fear. "No, I'm not…if you'll excuse me."

"Grab him." The man suddenly ordered and the other two thugs grabbed Jude's arms to prevent him from going anywhere.

"Hey, get _off _me!" Jude said dangerously.

"Not til we get your money, pretty boy."

"I don't have any—," but Jude was cut off by a fist hitting his stomach. Jude moaned and his knees buckled and hit the cold ground.

He felt a couple hands feel around his pockets. His stomach was aching, but he wasn't going to give in too easily. Jude jerked out of their reach and began to run. A shout of anger came from behind him and Jude quickened his pace, but a moment later they caught up to him.

"Not so fast, bastard!"

And Jude was thrown to the ground. To make sure he didn't stand up, the attacker kicked him painfully in the stomach. Jude cried out in agony as he felt his stomach burning.

"Search him." The black-haired man ordered. The two other men emptied Jude's pockets and took the little money he had made when Max so generously bought one of Jude's sketches earlier that day.

_Max._

Jude felt tears spring to his eyes as he thought of his American friend, whom he desperately needed at the moment.

"That's all you got?" An angry voice shouted above him. "Your poor piece of shit."

Although Jude could barely move and he knew one word out of his mouth could very much result in a hospital visit, he muttered, "I'm poor? You're the one beating up innocent people for drug money."

A fist collided with Jude's eye. He felt a drop of blood trickle near his left eye.

"Come on, let's go." The blonde thug said, tugging at the black-haired man.

The man grunted in agreement and said, "So long, pretty boy."

Jude felt one more kick in his stomach before the footsteps left the alley. Silence surrounded him. Jude didn't know what to do. He had just been mugged. He heard about that kind of thing happening in New York, but he never actually witnessed a mugging, let alone experienced one first hand. He lay there for only a few minutes until he found the strength to stand up. Jude moaned and placed a hand on his torso. _Those damn bastards, _he thought, wiping blood from his eye.

Completely forgetting the wastebasket, he headed up the stairs. Jude was in too much pain to rush, so it took him a good five or ten minutes to reach the apartment, making short stops to peacefully whine in pain. He opened the door and silently slipped inside. He didn't want Max to know about this. Trying not to make a sound, he closed the door very slowly. Unfortunately, a loud click echoed through the room and Max bounced into view.

"Have a fun time taking out the trash? I was wondering what was taking so long…" His voice trailed off as Jude turned around. Max's heart stopped beating. Jude was pale, half his face was bloody, and he was holding his stomach, doubling over in pain.

"Oh God," Max muttered and rushed over to his British friend. "Jude, what the hell happened?"

Jude collapsed in an arm chair and moaned. "I was emptying the trash and these guys showed up…"

Max's jaw clenched. "And they did this to you?"

Jude slowly nodded his head, wiping his sleeve across his eye.

There was a lingering silence between the two. A course of hot anger swept through Max's body like flames. Jude had been…beaten up? Mugged? And he wasn't there when it happened. If Max _had_ been there, however, he would have pounded the living shit out of them, and Jude would have left, unharmed.

But that didn't happen. Here Jude was, his handsome face all bruised up, clutching his stomach, and practically crying.

Max realized that Jude's eye was bleeding heavier every second, so he sprinted to the freezer and pulled some ice out and grabbed a paper towel.

"Thanks," Jude murmured, taking the paper towel and wiping the blood off his face.

"Why'd they do this to you?" Max asked in a voice full of concern.

"They wanted my money…I wouldn't give it to them." Jude said looking anywhere but Max. He felt so embarrassed and weak. If it were Max in Jude's previous situation, he could have easily gotten himself out. But Jude wasn't as strong as Max. "By the way, mate, it was the money you gave me they took. I promise I'll pay you back, though."

"Shut up, Jude. You're freaking hurt. I don't give a damn about the money." Max said fiercely.

Jude felt his eyes burning. _No, you bloody pathetic git. Do NOT cry. _

It was too late, though. A small tear fell from his and eyes and rolled down his cheek.

"Oh, Judey," Max pulled him into his arms and rubbed his back soothingly.

"I thought they were going to…" Jude said in a muffled voice, hugging him back.

"If they did, I'd have to kill them. You know that, right?" Max said stroking Jude's hair.

Jude didn't answer. He just stayed in Max's arms and cried.

Max wanted to make him feel better so badly. He had to say _something_ to get his best friend to stop crying—_anything._

A thought suddenly sprung into Max's head as if someone flicked a light switch on. Max opened his mouth and sang softly,

_Hey Jude  
>Don't make it bad<br>Take a sad song  
>And make it better<br>Remember to let it into your heart  
>Then you can start<br>To make it better_

_And anytime you feel the pain  
>Hey Jude, refrain<br>Don't carry the world  
>Upon your shoulders<br>For well you know that it's a fool  
>Who plays it cool<br>By making his world  
>A little colder<em>

_Na na na na na  
>Na na na na<em>

_So let it out to let it in  
>Hey Jude, begin<br>You're waiting for someone  
>To perform with<br>And don't you know that it's just you  
>Hey Jude, you'll do<br>The Movement you need  
>Is on your shoulder<em>

_Na na na, na na  
>Na na na na, Yeah<em>

_Hey Jude  
>Don't make it bad<br>Take a sad song  
>And make it better<br>Remember to let it into your heart  
>Then you can start<br>To make it better_

_Na na na na-na na  
>Na na na-na<br>Hey Jude…_

Jude closed his eyes and exhaled. The tears stopped a while ago, but the truth was he still wanted to hold Max. Pulling away though, he said to his blonde friend, "Thanks…I love you, mate, you know that?"

Max smiled with a hint of crimson tinting his cheeks. "Aw, Judey loves me?" He asked making the puppy dog face.

Jude hit his arm playfully and smiled. "Shut up, you. I suppose I should go and put some alcohol on this." He gestured towards his eye and headed to the bathroom.

Max stared after him. He hated seeing Jude so banged up. Although he acted like he was okay, Max knew Jude was still hurting. And Max was hurting because of that.

_Those pricks will pay._

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><p><em>How was it? Review please and let me know what you think! <em>

_Thanks!_

_xAllie  
><em>


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